MasukCHAPTER 197_KADENâS POVI was on my way to check where Gabe was being kept when I noticed someone else heading in that direction. The movement felt off, so I slowed down and watched. The person went inside. I followed quietly and stayed back.It was Malik.My trusted man.I listened as he spoke with Gabe, laying out a plan to move him to another location. I waited until they were done before stepping in. The moment he saw me, Gabe switched his act, pretending nothing had happened. I said nothing. I only smirked at his effort.The next morning, Malik came to me with what he called a solid plan. He said he had figured out a way to draw Ricardo out. I hid my reaction and let him talk. According to him, Gabe was the key. Gabe knew too much about Ricardo, and that knowledge made him valuable. Ricardo wouldnât stay hidden if Gabe was used as bait. It would be quick.I nodded, praised the idea, and told him to proceed.After Malik left, I sat back and finished my own plan. If he thought he w
CHAPTER 196âKADENâS POVBrenda stayed where she was long after Kira led Lena away.She stood in the hallway, her eyes fixed in the direction they had gone. Her lips parted slightly, then pressed together again. Confusion, curiosity, and something close to concern crossed her face.I leaned against the wall and watched her watch the empty space.She finally turned to me.âWho is she?â she asked.I didnât answer immediately. I just smiled.That made her frown. âWhy are you smiling?âI chuckled under my breath. âBecause I know how this conversation is going to end.âShe crossed her arms. âKaden.ââAlright,â I said, straightening myself. âCome inside.âI took her hand before she could protest and led her into the bedroom. The moment we stepped inside, I shut the door behind us. Brenda turned to face me, arms still crossed, waiting for me to start talking.âIâm going to tell you everything,â I said.Her brows shot up. âEverything?ââYes.âShe nodded slowly. âOkay.âI sat on the edge of the
Kaden's povThe drive to my house was quiet at first.Not the comfortable kind. The kind that sat between two people who had too much history and not enough words yet.She sat in the passenger seat with her hands folded in her lap and her fingers locked together so tightly her knuckles looked pale. She stared out the window looking so distressed.I glanced at her more times than I should have, catching myself each time and forcing my eyes back to the road. I was thinking how to reconcile the girl I knew with the lady at home.âYou donât look surprised,â she said eventually, still staring ahead.âI am,â I replied. âIâm just trying not to show it.âShe turned slightly, just enough to look at me from the corner of her eye. Then she let out a weak laugh.âYou were always like that.âI shook my head slightly. âYou just disappeared like that, Lena."My tone stayed calm, but the words came out harder than I intended. I had replayed that disappearance in my head too many times. I had asked my
CHAPTER 194âKADENâS POVYouâre back,â he said hoarsely.I didnât answer him. I pulled out my phone and walked straight toward him.âYou said Ricardo handles the east sector,â I said. âI want you to look at something.âHis eyes sharpened.I turned the screen toward him. Gabe stared at the screen for a long second.Then he laughed.âSo you found him,â he said.My grip on the phone tightened. âThatâs him?ââYes,â he said. âThatâs Ricardo.âI leaned closer. âYouâre sure.ââI donât forget the person who made me rich,â he said. âEspecially not his.âI made a call immediately. Within thirty minutes, my men were ready.We made our way to the sector. The port was busy enough to hide us, which worked in our favor.We split into pairs the moment we got closer to the warehouse district.I scanned every entrance as we moved. Gabe had said Ricardo was careful, and I believed that because this place looks like nothing happened in the last minutes at all.âTwo guards by the south door,â one of my men
CHAPTER 193âKADENâS POVI woke with Brenda still in my arms with her head pressed against my chest. I didnât try to move. I let her stay there."She stirred from her sleep and gave me a kiss. She pouted and said she had something to ask from me.""What's that?" I said."I know you have forgiven me and I want you to please forgive James and Kira also, they were not at fault." She said.âIâve already forgiven you,â I said. âYou, Kira, James. All of you. Donât worry about it anymore.âShe blinked up at me. âYou⌠really?ââYes,â I said. âItâs done. You donât have to think about it.âShe relaxed slightly but the moment didnât last. A sharp knock came at the door.âSir Kaden, Gabe wants to see you. He said he has a lot to tell you,â James called.I smirked because I had been expecting that for him.I stood, brushing my hand down her arm. âI will be back in an hour. Stay here.âShe nodded.I got dressed with Brenda's assistant and headed straight to the warehouse.I went straight to where Ga
CHAPTER 192âBrendaâs POVThe morning sunlight spilled into the room. I blinked rapidly trying to adjust to the brightness. My body felt sore but mostly it was the emptiness beside me that hit me first.I frowned. Kaden wasnât there or he hasn't come back.A soft knock came at the door.âMiss Brenda, your breakfast is here,â the maid said, poking her head inside.âThank you,â I said quietly.She placed it on the side table. While I sat up slowly.âWhere⌠where is Kaden?â I asked.The maid hesitated for a second. âHe is⌠in the guest room sleeping, Miss. He said not to be disturbed.âMy chest tightened. Guest room? Sleeping? Not beside me?I nodded slowly, trying not to let my disappointment show. âAlright⌠thank you.âShe left, closing the door gently behind her.I stared at the tray for a moment, poked at the eggs. I wasnât hungry, but I forced myself to eat. Each bite tasted bitter.Halfway through, the door opened again and Kira stepped in.âMorning,â she said. âDid you eat already?







